Support City Forests in the Economic Stimulus
The below information was submitted by the Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition, a coalition of twenty national associations and non-profits supporting this issue.
Trees are and essential part of healthy neighborhoods.
Help keep money for city forest enhancements in the economic stimulus.
The House stimulus (H.R. 1) would fund $550 million in work on State and Private Forest Lands, including significant funding for “city forest enhancements” via the Urban and Community Forestry program. The current Senate stimulus legislation does not. Please take action to ask your Senators to include city forests in the Senate stimulus bill.
Please CALL and/or FAX Senator Klobuchar today. A phone call takes only a few minutes.
612-727-5220
888-224-9043
202-224-3244
Fax: 202-228-2186
Watch a LIVE debate in the US Senate online.
Time is short and pressure is high on the Senate to pass a bill today. Congress hopes to negotiate a final bill that resolves differences between the House and Senate by February 13th. For an overview, click here.
Quick Tips on What To Say
- You are ready to deliver immediate, tangible Urban Forestry action projects that keep people employed in green jobs while improving the health and livability of your city. Planting and maintaining trees is labor intensive and supports local small businesses.
- Spending on State and Private Forestry will provide funds to communities of all sizes benefitting jobs in every state, in both rural and urban areas.
- Ask that the Senate provide $550 million to support US Forest Service State and Private Forest Lands programs, consistent with language in the House stimulus. Of that, you ask that there be included language in support of city forest enhancements and hope the Senate will consider directing the Forest Service to allocate $150 million for its Urban and Community Forestry Program out of the funds provided to State and Private Forestry in the stimulus.